Rodrigo and Hileana the King and Queen of Mexico

From Ray:

Sorry to all the folks who have been periodically checking on the blog and wondering what we have been up to and where the next entry has been. Stay tuned the entries will continue.


Sometimes in our lives we lose contact with people that we were close with at one point in our lives. Time and space separates people and the next thing it is ten years later. Next thing you know that person is married lives in another country, is married to the queen of the city and owns a bagel shop, a artisans store, and is working on renovating a hostel. Heck Back 20 years ago it would have been a feat to find that person. Today luckily the modern technology specifically a little Internet site called the facebook which has gone above and beyond all of our expectations. It helped us connect with Rodrigo Alfonzo a good friend from school days.

Before I get carried away y'all should now that we left the Yucatan and drove some rugged roads with lots of topes. Topes are Spanish for speed bumps and these speed bumps are layed down at random. Usually one can expect to find them in a town, and they are made of all different sizes. Occasionally they are put in by locals with a bit of concrete or shredded strips of rubber which are used more as an entrepreneurial business move, as at these topes you will find salesmen, women and children with anything from fruit cups to windshield wipers to the morning paper. Other bumps are more like mounds which hit at high speeds could be detrimental to a van but at low speed are a friend in a world of nasty topes. Long story short a fully loaded van must take care when driving and is now in the shop because the ball bearings, transmission, and brakes have had a rough time.

On this drive we stayed at a little gem of a spot outside of Escargega in the state of campeche. It was a bionatural reserve complete with howler monkeys and even a pet monkey who watched everyone with a curious eye. Especially Smuckers, he was probably given the harriest of eyeballs. This was a fantasic spot to camp we stayed with some Montrealians who were extremely pleasant. In the morning we were sent on our way with a short horse ride and fresh oranges. It was a full day of driving to get to San Cristobal de las Casa in the state of Chiapas where Rod and his wife Hllieana live.

We met Rod in one of the many squares in town and he gave us a night tour of a few highlights of this town. We were all exhausted so we ate some supper and got some rest. Over the next few days we spent plenty of time walking around exploring the many markets, churches, sites and events that occurred. Trying the delicious food specialties of the city. Eating huaraches, more tacos, elotes and of course Popsicles. Rod, Robin and I have been walking through the parks and reminiscing. Talking about glory days although I would go so far to say that those days are no more glorious than these.

Rod was born in this house where we have stayed the last 5 nights. He moved to the states when he was 3 or 4 and went to school in Woodstock and then to KUA where we met him. After school he decided he would come back down here to live for a trial period. He opened a hostel but the hostel needed repairs so in the interim he opened a craft boutique and then from there he had the idea to open a bagel shop- cafe- poolhall. They were the best bagels we have had since we left Jenny's papa in Atlanta. The menu is completed by a dedication to the place where Rod was raised, the Vermonter which includes real Cabot Cheddar. Rods better half he met after moving back down here. His kind and beautiful Hileana whom he has been married to for a year and change. They work and live a pretty sweet life down here with some beautiful Husky showdogs Cuba, Simon and the roofdog.

Rod and Hileana have been accommodating us for days, and have took time from work to setup city tours, horse packs, and tours to national parks. As well as show us the good spots to eat and drink and see music. They have been nothing short of wonderful and we all appreciate it greatly. Rod.s response to our gratitude is roughly " who knows when the next time Ill see you guys, it has been ten years".

The most crazy day here was when we rode horse to a town eight miles away called Chamula. Yes the riding was absurd two teenagers put us on horses with saddles of wood, no instruction necessary, and rode us eight miles into the town. Sure that was crazy but few things have I seen in my life that compared to what we saw after that. The people of Chamula are there own private government they are native Mayas that have been converted to Christianity but they have put there own spin on this religion. I will try and paint a picture of what we saw when we entered this church because it is hard to imagine.
There is no preacher it is Wednesday morning and there are easily two hundred people in the church they are knelt down in separate area each with there own set of candles, case of soda and large bottle of posh (their own fermented liquor) They are praying in there own language not a dialect of Spanish but a dialect of Mayan. The elder lies speak fast and soft. They pray, as the young ones surround them. Thousands of candles surround them stuck to nothing but the tile floor. A man comes by and scraps wax up off the floor. The pray to all the saints who they have in three dimensional diorama boxes. In between the fields of candles are slippery pathways of pine needle tinder, why do they want this church to burn so. An older lady pulls a chicken out of a box the chicken squawks not. The lady takes it and starts to rub it all over a young boy it tickles but he sits still the same After rubbing it down the chickens neck is broke over her knee it flaps a few last breaths and quits. Then it goes back in to the box. A man offers us posch out of a gasoline can we decline, he shakes our hands. young and old drink to drunk soda and liquor and pray and pray. To me this is crazy to them it makes perfect sense it is crazy that this is cousin of the religion that so many peopl in the states and worldwide subscribe to the same god. adapted by native people.
I am reminded how crazy religion

We spent the next couple of days waiting for the van to fix, Rod took some of us an incredible roadtrip in the Peugeout to see travertine lakes and crystal blue water falls. We are getting ready to move on. To give Hileana and Rodrigo some peace we move forth Jeanette, Rawban, Ronan, Smuckers, Miss Courtney and I the Rabbit signing off
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-Ray